How do you fund your travels? - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

**micdans** · 03-05-2008, 09:04 AM

I was searching through the threads and couldn't find anything discussing how you fund your travels. I was wondering if everyone saves up the conventional way, or if there are different ways of saving/making money for your travels. I will be traveling myself soon and would like to have some cash.

I guess I tend to work for a while to save up for a trip.

Sorry I created two. My fricken laptop battery died on me mid post

**lauren313** · 03-05-2008, 09:17 AM

I just save up money from my regular job (that is, when I had a job and was in a position to travel). Now I just don't travel cos I have no job, no money and no time, haha.

(I deleted the other thread for ya).

**expatben** · 03-05-2008, 09:40 AM

same boat as Lauren. I am also trying to become a travel writer so I can tell myself I am a grown up and working a job while at the same time traveling.

**maracle** · 03-05-2008, 10:20 AM

I just work as well....#1 most important thing I've realized is to stay out of debt. You can travel with almost nothing if you're willing to work on the road, or you can save up for your trips. But if you've got debt it is like an anchor that keeps pulling you back home.

I've got a bunch of student loans driving me crazy, trying to get the ones with higher interest rates paid off...

**freespiritz** · 03-05-2008, 11:01 AM

I wonder too.

I work, save up, travel cheap (and to cheap places!), study abroad on massive scholarship, and milk my college for all the funds and grants they seem to like giving me although it does involve a helluvalot of paperwork that often comes to naught...pull the connections (free diving holidays!!), and all that jazz. Gonna try doing the work-on-the-road deal sometime though.

**AKguacamole** · 03-05-2008, 11:24 AM

I feel like every time I travel I happen to get lucky and find a way. My debt is awful, but last year I made it to Costa Rica for three months because I sold my car.
I never seem to have anything; then suddenly opportunities reveal themselves.

**aliz** · 03-05-2008, 12:14 PM

i used to do it the old fashioned way and work two jobs, but now I get a government scholarship from uni that is supposed to help me pay my rent, but I always just put it straight in my high-interest savings account and use it for travelling. thank you government! haha.

**travelpunk** · 03-05-2008, 01:28 PM

Nice poll.

I have done both save money and credit cards.

Here's why. As all of you know, it is so hard to bank away a lot of money. The first thousand is always the hardest, then it starts to build and you see your efforts of saving money finally paying off.

When you blow that whole pile of cash reserves it just seems like forever to build it back up again. It's a drag in my opinion.

So, I would rather spend some of it and finance the other part (therefore I chose credit cards, since there was not an option for both).

Using credit cards will get you the true exchange rate for that day as well.

When I get home, I just work and pay the credit cards down AS WELL as continue to add to my savings.

Which is not looking pretty these days due to some serious bad luck or timing or something....

**ajb3000** · 03-05-2008, 01:42 PM

The first time I went travelling it was because an opportunity came my way to go with a good friend of mine, so I took out an overdraft (interest free though as I'm a student) and then worked to pay it off as soon as I got back. That one trip got me hooked, so after that I made the decision to spend next to nothing while at home in the UK and save every penny possible to go again. If I have a night out I limit myself to £10 or £15, when it comes to food I only very occasionally eat out and always buy value stuff, and things like that. I can be so frugal that I have money left from my student loan at the end of each term and I work as well to earn money on top of that.

**voyd** · 03-05-2008, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelpunk

Which is not looking pretty these days due to some serious bad luck or timing or something....

The stock market is making me cry right now.

Combine that with:

Housing bubble bust
IOB that will sell more ME oil in Euros instead of USD
More Baby Boomers retiring and withdrawing money out of funds
Increasing outsourcing
Increased military spending in ME
Rise in single moms and thus welfare costs

And I hope this is not the tip of the iceberg...

I love how none of the leading Presidential nominees dare to talk about this, either. It's like the band just playing on like nothing's wrong!

**micdans** · 03-05-2008, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelpunk

Nice poll.

I have done both save money and credit cards.

So, I would rather spend some of it and finance the other part (therefore I chose credit cards, since there was not an option for both).

Using credit cards will get you the true exchange rate for that day as well.

When I get home, I just work and pay the credit cards down AS WELL as continue to add to my savings.

Which is not looking pretty these days due to some serious bad luck or timing or something....

What would you do in smaller cities and making purchases that aren't possible with credit cards? Taking money from an ATM with a credit card has HIGH rates (at least in the states).

**LostFarmboy** · 03-05-2008, 04:58 PM

A few years back I was lucky enough to be able to travel on scholarship money. However, as I'm no longer a student I now have to save money the traditional way - by working

. The bad thing is that I'm crap at saving so it takes me a looooong time to build any sort of substantial travel fund - I've been saving for about 2 years to fund this years travel plans!! I'm also going to sell all my salable posessions and my soul before I go, just to top the travel fund up that little bit more.

**jengt** · 03-05-2008, 05:04 PM

I checked work. I don't necessarily live below my means, but I don't spend a lot on going out or on "things". I also work overtime any time it's offered & put that extra amount in savings.

Ambs · 07-08-2010, 06:12 PM

I do focus groups, I get paid for my opinions and all that cash adds up. Usually they last an hour and on average pay 75bux. I've made about $2500 in 1 year and it's lots of easy fast cash!

Ambs · 07-08-2010, 06:13 PM

and i always live below my means lol i live like a backpacker minus the drinking. Being a cheapo helps tones!

himanshu · 11-30-2010, 03:42 AM

Hi i also normally don't save anything because of my drinking habit. But many of mine friends save their by having their tours insured. They Usually use the facilities of Backpackers.

jonnyjamms · 03-03-2011, 12:57 PM

The most important thing I have realized is stay out of debt. You can travel almost none on the road if you like, you can also save for your trip. However, if you have debt that it widening as an anchor point you home.

maniladsouza · 05-25-2012, 02:36 AM

Saving from your job for your trip is really good. This makes easy for you to invest on the travel trip and other travel expenses as well.
----------------------------------------------
Annual Travel Insurance

**Canadian Bacon** · 06-07-2012, 08:42 AM

I'm glad fiscal responsibility runs through most tpunks! (not saying any other methods are worse, but going through the hardship of saving does say something positive about character)